1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for tensionally supporting hanging objects such as planters, comprising a container or pot for soil and plants and wire hangers which are attached to the container at at least three places and converge to form a hook. It especially relates to such devices which are attached to and offset from columns, such as tree trunks and vertically disposed poles, and other vertically disposed support surfaces, such as walls and corners of buildings.
2. Review of the Prior Art
Many types of pots, plant hangers, and support devices are known. Plant hangers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,084,779 of H. J. Moineau, 4,138,803 of H. P. Sherlock, 4,147,320 of L. W. Biedebach, 4,744,171 of W. G. Hilliard, 4,779,377 of C. A. Davis, 4,811,475 of J. C. Morton, Jr., and 4,877,210 of M. F. Missala.
Among known support devices, U.S. Pat. No. 484,565 of A. B. Allison et al describes a mast-arm for electric lights which comprises two laterally extending stationary arms which are connected at their outer ends and attached at their inner ends to a vertically disposed pole, an upwardly inclined tie rod extending from these outer ends to the pole, an oscillating arm pivoted at its outer end between the stationary arms, guides enclosing the inner end of the oscillating arm, and a flexible connection for moving the arm therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 559,066 of J. J. Schickluna also describes a mast-arm for electric lights which comprises a pair of converging side members which are pivotally attached to a vertically disposed pole at their inner ends and which converge at their outer ends, a supporting wire or cable which extends from these outer ends to the pole above the side members, a pulley casing and pulley which are mounted at the outer ends, and suspension cord which passes over the pulley.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,154,627 of E. E. Hall discloses a receptacle supported by chains attached to a central ring carrying a hook which engages a movable arm of a wall engaging bracket.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,334,199 of W. H. Weissman describes a pot supporter, for a pot having a ribbed edge, which comprises clamps consisting of a single length of wire bent to have a major portion adapted to engage the ribbed edge of the pot and further consisting of an auxiliary portion that bears against the inner surface of the pot and has curved extensions that are forced under the rib of the pot and thereby allow the clamp to sustain the proper amount of weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,538,081 of A. Bank relates to a suspension flowerpot comprising a metal bar having its bent end attached to a bracket, which is adapted to be secured to a wall by means of nails, while its other end is downwardly bent to form an arm ending in a hook on which a flowerpot is suspended.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,754,082 of P. H. Chase relates to a mast arm for hanging a lamp from the side of a pole. As shown in FIGS. 11-14, the device comprises a pair of laterally extending arms which are pivotally attached to opposite sides of the pole and which converge to an open nose at their outer ends. A sheave wheel is rotatably mounted within the sheave wheel. A rope or cable is passed over the sheave wheel and supports the lamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,504,583 of J. Rachic relates to a bracket for supporting a flower pot adjacent a window. This bracket comprises a main body portion having a scroll-shaped lower end, which is adapted to engage a wall or window frame, and a scroll-shaped upper end of an arm which extends in a horizontal plane and has a perforated flattened end for securing the arm to the bottom of the sill of the window by fasteners, whereby the relation of the plane of the arm to the plane of the body is such that the body will support a pot on the curved flange formed at the upper end of the body in a vertical plane with relation to the horizontal plane of the arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,637,518 of W. R. Young describes a receptacle support for suspending containers from a vertical wall, comprising a bracket member formed from a meal plate and including a wall engaging portion, which is pierced with an opening for engaging a nail projecting from the supporting wall, and a horizontal arm, which is formed by bending the plate along a horizontal line, and has a curved outer edge and two lanced-out loops or inverted channels forming guide eyes for a snare formed of soft metal which can be manipulated without difficulty, takes a permanent set, and is strong enough to retain this set under normal loads imposed by supporting the container, around which it is wrapped.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,774,562 of W. F. Henry relates to an apparatus for supporting a receptacle, such as a flower pot, from the vertical railing of a porch or of a window or from a vertical column, such as the column of a building, a pipe, or a power line or telegraph or telephone line pole. This apparatus includes a C-shaped bracket or frame, formed into a shape corresponding to the cross section of the railing or column, which has a plane surface, a pair of holes along one side, and a pair of upwardly extending ears along the other side. The holes and the ears are spaced apart by a distance equalling the width or diameter of the railing or column. The apparatus further comprises a ring that encircles and supports the receptacle and becomes at one side a pair of arms which overlie the bracket between the ears and end in hooks or small bends which engage the holes, thereby providing cantilever support to the receptacle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,928,641 of H. C. Pfafff, Jr. discloses a traffic light holder comprising a pair of straight, parallel arms which are united at adjacent ends to form a generally U-shaped frame. The frame is attached at its inner end to a pole so that the arms are vertically aligned. A supporting tie rod is secured at its opposite ends to the pole and the frame and is inclined with respect to both. Light units are mounted within the frame near its outer end.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,483 of J. E. Pesola et al relates to a plant hanger comprising an elongated member which is bent down at both ends and a bracket which is attachable by itself to the face of a molding or casing of a building and has two spaced ears. A swivel depends from one end of the elongated member for supporting a container. The opposite end of the member is held in the bracket ears.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,137 of J. C. Garves relates to cantilever attachment to a column, such as the iron posts which support railings around apartment balconies, to support a weight, such as a flower pot. A cantilever assembly comprises a cantilever member having a hook, formed by curving upward the distal end of the member, and a base, formed by curving downwardly the inner end of the member, which is vertically disposed and rests against an iron post. This base is further curved outwardly to form a resilient means that underlies and supports the cantilever member and has a transversely disposed pin. The cantilever assembly further comprises a U-shaped attachment means that fits around the iron post and terminates in hook portions which engage the pin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,115 of J. C. Shiro describes a hanger for supporting plants on fences and other surfaces, comprising a support member with a horizontal portion and an angular portion extending from the bottom of the horizontal portion at a selected angle. Strengthening members are attached to the inner end of the horizontal portion, and a holding member in the form of a transversely disposed peg extends from both sides of the inner end and is placed on the far side of the fence. The front or outer end of the support member is provided with both a hole and a vertically disposed peg to which a plant container is attached. A stop block, which may be either fixed or adjustable, is mounted on the rear or inner end of the angular portion and rests against the near side of the fence, whereby the horizontal portion is in tension and the angular portion is in compression when the hanger is mounted on the fence and a plant is being supported.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,537 of R. R. Buckley relates to a hanging device for various applications which comprises a hanging bracket, an elastic band, a sling, and a shackle. The hanging bracket comprises, when the device is mounted upon the trunk of a tree, a vertically disposed angle bracket and a horizontally disposed angle bracket which is welded at one end to the vertically disposed bracket.
Many gardens contain extensive shaded areas that could be graced with hanging plants. However, with the exception of the Buckley hanger bracket, none of these plant hanging devices of the prior art is suitable for mounting on the trunk of a tree. The Buckley hanger bracket appears to lack lateral stability during a high wind. The cantileverly supported devices are apparently likely to damage living trees and deform wooden surfaces. Those that permit a plant container to be hung a substantial distance from a supporting surface are relatively complicated. Some are closely restricted as to materials of construction. No device appears to be sufficiently versatile for selective use on trees, telephone poles, walls, windows, walls and corners of buildings, fences, and metal or wooden balcony posts.
There is accordingly a need for a simple, inexpensive, and versatile tensional support device that: (a) is both laterally and vertically stable and (b) enables a lantern, a bird feeder, a bird bath, a plant pot, and/or a plant container to be hung a selected distance from a wide variety of supports, including living trees, without damage thereto.